Giving gift cards to teens in need
For over 40 years, United Way of Utah Countyโs Sub for Santa program has worked to help families in need have a Christmas. โOur whole goal is to make people feel seen and heard, not only in good times, but also in times of trouble,โ said Julianne Jones, the head of marketing at United Way of Utah County. She added that 46% of families receiving gifts are first-time users of the program. The program is on track to serve a record amount of families in 2025, but hundreds of families are still in need, so Sub for Santa is continuing to seek donations.
Utah Foster Care has multiple ways that people can help out this holiday season.
One is a gift card drive in collaboration with Bonrue Bakery.
The bakery will be holding a pop-up on Dec. 20 at the Utah Foster Care Murray office at 5296 Commerce Drive, #400, in Murray from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
There will be a delicious lineup of pastries available for purchase and the public is encouraged to bring a $10 gift card to donate for teens in foster care. Those who bring gift cards will receive a free gift from Bonrue.
Another way people can help through Utah Foster Care is Connection Kits.
Oftentimes when children enter a foster home, they can feel out of place and lonely. Connections Kits offer a tangible way to support kids as they create new memories with their foster family to help them feel safe and heal from the trauma theyโve experienced.
Utah Foster Care has created a Amazon Wish List which gives people a list of everything they need to order to assemble a kit.
โSupportive connections empower youth to turn pain into purpose, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. Connection Kits provide the tools to build that resilience,โ said Heidi Naylor, Utah Foster Care director of retention.
